Source: CORNELL UNIVERSITY submitted to
NORTHEASTERN IPM CENTER: STRENGTHENING IPM ADOPTION 2022 - 2026, REGIONAL COORDINATION PROGRAM
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1028933
Grant No.
2022-70006-38004
Cumulative Award Amt.
$3,050,000.00
Proposal No.
2022-03518
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2022
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2026
Grant Year
2024
Program Code
[RCP]- Regional Coordination Program Area
Project Director
Grantham, D. G.
Recipient Organization
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
ITHACA,NY 14853
Performing Department
Northeastern IPM Center
Non Technical Summary
Title: Northeastern IPM Center: Strengthening Ipm Adoption 2022 - 2026, Regional Coordination ProgramPD: Grantham, Deborah G. Institution: Cornell UniversityThis is an RCP Regional IPM Center project.The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center will strengthen ties to stakeholders in the region and fine-tune operations to fulfill its mission of fostering the development and adoption of IPM in the region.Staff, in collaboration with state IPM partners, multiregional projects, our Advisory Council, scientists, and IPM practitioners, will address critical issues, diversify resources, and provide educational and training opportunities for our clientele.Our six Signature Programs: Community IPM, IPM and Organic Systems, Climate Change and Pests, Pollinators, Next Generation Education, and Advanced Technologies, and four cross-cutting themes: Diversity in IPM, Emerging Invasive Species, Pesticide Resistance, and Economics collect our work under issues significant to the NE and include collaborations with the other RIPMCs on over-arching efforts and specific tasks.The Center will serve as a hub for delivering high quality information to stakeholders, including underserved audiences. We will collaborate with other groups to offer an annual online IPM Conference, a series of IPM Toolbox webinars with practical IPM tools for use in the field, and develop a process for further amplifying IPM success stories from the NE.The Center will communicate successes generated by the Partnership Grants Program, which will fund regional working groups, research, and communication projects. All projects, internal or external, will be designed to maximize evaluation and ensure impact. Funding will support diverse programming on IPM and enhance the Center's capacity to leverage additional funds to advance the mission to implement IPM in a wider geographic and demographic circle.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
21600010001100%
Knowledge Area
216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
0001 - Administration;

Field Of Science
0001 - Administration;
Goals / Objectives
The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center located at Cornell University (U.), Ithaca, NY (the Center) was established in 2000 to respond to critical pest management needs in the New England states, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. With 21 years of experience implementing IPM, the Center will build on its solid foundation and continue to take innovative steps that enhance the development, adoption, and implementation of innovative, ecologically based, and sustainable IPM technologies, tactics and strategies that address regional and, with the Regional IPM Centers (RIPMC), national IPM priorities.The Center's mission is to foster the development and adoption of IPM, a science-based approach to managing pests in ways that generate economic, environmental, and human health benefits, including food security. We partner with stakeholders from agricultural, urban, and rural settings to identify and address regional priorities for research, education, and outreach. Our mission adheres to the goals of the National IPM Roadmap, which are to improve the economic benefits related to the adoption of IPM practices and reduce potential health, food security, and environmental risks from pests and pest management.The goals of the Center are to:1) increase coordination and improve efficiency of IPM research and extension;2) facilitate collaboration across states and disciplines; and promote further adoption of IPM through regional networks, collective team building, and broad-based stakeholder participation through six Signature Programs: Community IPM, IPM and Organic Systems, Climate Change and Pests, Pollinators, Next Generation Education, and Advanced Technologies, and four cross-cutting themes: Diversity in IPM, Emerging Invasive Species, Pesticide Resistance, and Economics.Our signature programs include collaborations with the other RIPMCs on over-arching efforts and specific tasks.Goals and Objectives as identified in our 2018 Strategic Plan:Goal 1. Engage stakeholders to show them how they can benefit from IPM research, education, and outreachDevelop and pursue IPM priorities critical to supporting properly functioning social, economic, and environmental systems in the Northeastern region.Evaluate the effectiveness of the Center in providing information that is accessed and used by stakeholders.Communicate IPM in relation to pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.Goal 2. Secure funding to build/broaden IPM programs in the Northeastern regionPromote the grant-award opportunities that the Center offers to individuals, agencies, organizations, and industries.Develop effective and mutually beneficial relationships with organizations that share a common interest in IPM and the Center's programs.Provide a role for partner organizations to participate in symposia, webinars, and programs.Goal 3. Train the next generation of IPM scholars, practitioners, and stakeholders.Establish productive working relationships with academia, agencies, and industry to develop internship programs for students with certification from leading relevant professional societies (WSSA, ESA, APS).Provide challenging projects related to Center Signature Programs that interest and engage students in IPM.Provide infrastructure and coordination for a program that will give the next generation of IPM practitioners pest identification and field scouting skills; knowledge of IPM in a crop, urban, or natural area; the ability to work with diverse audiences; and tools for communicating science.Goal 4. Maintain vision of the Center to maximize impactHire committed and motivated personnel with expertise and strengths that contribute to the mission of the Center.Develop diverse advisory groups (the Advisory Council, the Steering Committee, and NEERA- 1604) that engage and challenge Center leadership and staff.Foster working groups in the Northeast. IPM Working Groups bring together regional stakeholders around vital issues in the Northeast. These ad hoc committees work on topics specific to an IPM setting or crop--they develop or update priority lists, plan multistate projects, and conduct outreach campaigns across the region. Require working groups to update the Center on current and upcoming issues related to IPM.Collaborate with other Regional IPM Centers on key projects.Fully engage with NEERA-1604 to stay current with regional IPM issues. Inform and be informed by regional experiment station and Cooperative Extension (NEED, NERA) and NIFA leadership.
Project Methods
Generate New IPM Information: We will mine the reports of completed projects for new tools and approaches to implementing IPM along with highlighting reviews conducted by working groups; add new projects to our database; monitor their progress; encourage PDs to update regional priorities based on the needs of their target audience(s) or stakeholders; and convey this information back to researchers who are conducting original research. Our Partnership Grants fund communication, applied research, and working group projects that lead to new knowledge, and collaborations that in turn lead to additional funding and enhanced projects.Partnership Grants: We will continue to refine our RFA and Reporting Guidelines to streamline our entire Partnership Grants Program. The recent changes have allowed applicants to easily understand our three grant types and for PDs to report on projects and contribute to the Center's assessment of impacts related to IPM development and adoption in the Northeast. We will continue to emphasize relevancy to smaller states and 1890 institutions and will make use of our AC to review our revised RFA and Reporting Guidelines. We will to continue to use webinar-based review panels, as it is efficient, effective and overwhelmingly favored by panel members. Each review panel consists of IPM professionals representing a balance of disciplines, scientific specializations, experience, and backgrounds, drawn primarily from outside the region. The panel rates proposals on relevancy to the region, adherence to the Center's mission and the specific RFA, novelty, and technical feasibility. Each applicant receives a written critique from the review panel that includes an assessment of strengths and suggestions for improvement; funded PDs receive clarification of expectations and procedures.Communicate Successes to Key Stakeholders: Our quarterly newsletter, IPM Insights, touts the impacts of research and outreach projects funded throughout the Northeast region. We transitioned to an electronic only publication of the newsletter, as required by the 2018-2022 CPPM grant and in response to pandemic restrictions.In 2019, we initiated the IPM Weekly News and Events Roundup email (https://www.northeastipm.org/about-us/publications/ipm-news-and-events-roundup/ ) and we post timely IPM news and information, including dozens of grant opportunities, job openings, and project outcomes on our website (NortheastIPM.org); in the IPM Weekly News and Events Roundup email; via social media; and we will continue to document our successes through impact statements (https://www.northeastipm.org/about-us/publications/impact-statements/impact-statements/ ).Center staff use the Mura content management system to facilitate website development, while increasing adherence to best practices for the web. Our website templates function with mobile devices and we continue to enhance the website's functionality and accessibility for both mobile and desktop visitors. The Center uses search engine optimization, which gives those who actively seek IPM information on the web a greater chance of landing at NortheastIPM.org and discovering its linkages to more than 300 IPM-related organizations and other resources.We will continue to maintain 5 websites (NortheastIPM.org, StopBMSB.org, StopSWD.org, StopPests.org, and StopSLF.org) in partnership with the collaborators, with current publications, events, and news.The "IPM Toolbox" webinar series provides an opportunity for audiences to interact with IPM experts and learn about effective IPM practices and methods. We offer a virtual research conference each year for ARDP and other project directors, mostly recently in the form of recorded rapid presentations with live Q&A. Recordings of both the IPM Toolbox and the virtual conference series are posted on the Center website.Our website includes a prominent home page link to a "Success Stories" page (https://www.northeastipm.org/ipm-in-action/success-stories/ ), where key stakeholders and policymakers can find dozens of original stories about project impacts and positive outcomes. We post short summaries of impacts on our website and draw on these when writing longer success stories. Also on the Center website are the "School IPM Best Practices" web pages that provide concise information about pests commonly encountered on school property and the "IPM Resources Database", a searchable database of over 3,000 IPM resources available through more than 300 organizations (chiefly land-grant institutions, Cooperative Extension, and government sources).Regional and National Networks: These include our Advisory Council (AC) and TEMP NEERA-2104. We will continue to maintain strong connections with all State IPM Coordinators through webinars and in-person meetings when allowed, and IPM coordinators will continue to be represented on our AC. We will support TEMP NEERA-2104 in organizing and conducting annual meetings. Both our AC and TEMP NEERA-2104 provide strong regional networks that provide input on priorities and issues; channels of communication back to IPM practitioners; and connections with communities in need of IPM information and contacts. Other regional connections include Northeast SARE and IR-4. The Center director serves on the Northeast SARE Administrative Council and an IR-4 representative serves on the Center AC. Center staff, particularly the director, regularly review proposals for Northeast SARE, giving more insight into regional agriculture concerns.We will continue to participate in national networks including the National IPM Coordinating Committee and the Federal IPM Coordinating Committee (when appropriate); professional organizations such as the North American Invasive Species Management Association and the Northeast Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Management Network; and planning of the next International IPM Symposium.Evaluation: Wewillcontinue to a) analyze trends in Center-funded, ARDP, and EIP projects; b) adjust our IPM Partnership Grants RFA to keep our grants representative of the region, stakeholders, and priorities; and c) read, clarify, andsummarizeproject reports,capturing criticalevaluation data, sowe canassessand communicate impacts.The Evaluation Specialist develops impact statements (https://www.northeastipm.org/about-us/publications/impact-statements/impact-statements/ ) on projects in the region, both Partnership Grant-funded and including the Promoting IPM in Affordable Housing project, that describe the project impacts and the Center's role in the project.New evaluation projects include a) developing and delivering training for the NE that includes recruiting experts in evaluation methods and researchers who have published evaluation results on IPM and related fields. initiating an economic valuation of dissemination of IPM in the Northeast, as requested by Temp NEERA-2104; b) mining the NASS Chemical Use Survey Pest Management Data for IPM impact analysis and communication; and c) collaborating with the other Centers on a two phase approach to better understand the current state of climate-smart pest management across the US:1) Southern Center conducts focus groups to create a climate change adaptive capacity survey instrument; 2) All Centers distribute the survey and evaluation specialists analyze results for communication efforts.

Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Our Center reaches out to and seeks to engage scientists, educators, growers, IPM consultants and businesses, governmental employees, policy analysts, future integrated pest management (IPM) practitioners, health officials and practitioners, youth, and urban and rural consumers, and addresses agriculture, natural areas, buildings and residences, and affordable housing. Our Advisory Council (AC) represents this broad range of audiences, including 1890 institutions (1), EPA (1), Emerging priority - Spotted Lanternfly (1), Extension (7), Federal Government (OPMP, HUD, NRCS, APHIS, ARS) (1), Food Industry Stewardship (0), Grower organization (0), Independent Pest Management Consultant (1), IPM Working Group Leader (1), IR-4 Project (1), Marketing (0), NEERA1604 (Past chair, chair and chair-elect) (3), Non-governmental Environmental Organization (1), Non-land-grant University (1), Northeast Extension Service Directors (1), Northeast Plant Diagnostic Network (1), Northeast Research Station Directors (1), Production agriculture (0), Research (3), State lead agency (e.g., Dept. of Agriculture) (0), Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (0), and USDA-NIFA IPM representative (2). Director Deborah Grantham is currently working on adding new Advisory Council members that bring further expertise and perspectives to the work of the Center. We have continued our DEIJ in IPM webinar series, with two DEIJ webinars held during this reporting period: "Inclusive and Equitable Evidence-Based Approaches: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go from Here?" and "Promoting LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in the IPM Field: Perspectives from IPM Professionals." The Center supports a HUD-funded project "Promoting IPM in Affordable Housing" providing free IPM consultation and training to HUD-assisted housing providers. The program aims to improve the health and safety of residents and staff in underserved and diverse communities including Native American housing departments and public residents are 43% African American and 26% Hispanic/Latino. Changes/Problems:HUD contract for StopPests in Affordable Housing was not obtained. Susannah Krysko is supported partially by CPPM funds and as of March 2024, 95% by NYS IPM. We are hopeful that contractual issues will be resolved. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Toolbox Webinar series provides project directors with presentation opportunities and viewers with current research results and Extension/education knowledge. Four Toolbox Webinars were offered in the reporting period: "Working with Museums, Libraries, and Archives to Use IPM to Prevent and Combat Infestations"; "The Use of IPM in Beekeeping to Control Parasitic Varroa Mites"; "The Biology and Management of Common Invasive Plants in the Northeastern U.S. and Southern Canada"; and "Reducing Synthetic Chemical Use to Optimize Pest Management and Crop Production: A Case Study of Onion Thrips in Onion." All webinars are available as recordings. Research Update Conferences were held online on November 3, 2023 (12 presentations) and November 16, 2023 (12 presentations). PDs in the Northeast are able to meet presentation requirements for grants. DEIJ in IPM webinar series launched in 2022 was continued, with 2 webinars held in this reporting period: "Inclusive and Equitable Evidence-Based Approaches: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go from Here?" and "Promoting LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in the IPM Field: Perspectives from IPM Professionals." How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Web Resources and Publications The NortheastIPM.org website has been visited by 44,649 users between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024. The website includes grant information, pest information, archived webinars, timely news announcements, and newsletter articles. The Find a Colleague web feature (https://neipmc.org/go/colleagues) enables IPM specialists to post their areas of expertise, IPM tools, crops and commodities and pest expertise, collaboration interest, and contact information. To date, 34 IPM specialists from 11 states have created profiles. The Center hosts publications from its funded projects on its website. The publications pages have been accessed 10,606 times and saw a total of 288 downloads during the reporting period. Our email list includes 3,374 recipients that receive our IPM Weekly News and Events Roundup (48 issues in the reporting period). The Center has 1,845 followers on Twitter and 927 followers on Facebook. The IPM Weekly News and Events Roundup and the Twitter feed are archived at https://neipmc.org/go/HbdR. IPM Insights, our newsletter, was published 3 times in the reporting period (https://www.northeastipm.org/about-us/publications/ipm-insights/ ). We continue to distribute the newsletter electronically. Our email list is notified of the newsletter release when published and it is featured on the Web site carousel. Broader audiences: We have a representative of the NE Ag Experiment Station directors and of the NE Extension Directors on our Advisory Council. These contacts give us an avenue for sharing to a broader NE audience, beyond IPM. Northeast SARE is another outlet for our news and publications. The NEIPM Center director serves on the Northeast SARE Administrative Council. Two of our webinars were driven by and reached different than traditional IPM audiences: "Working with Museums, Libraries, and Archives to Use IPM to Prevent and Combat Infestations" and "Kosher, Halal and Insects: How do they relate?" Webinars Promoting LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in the IPM Field: Perspectives from IPM Professionals (DEIJ series), 6/20/2023, presenters Kim Skyrm, John McMullen, Samantha Bosco, Mary Centrella; 73 registrants, 43 participants, 32 viewed recording as of 5/31/2024. Weeds of the Northeast (Toolbox series), presenter Antonio DiTommaso, 9/21/2023, 368 registrants, 189 participants, 164 viewed recording as of 5/31/2024. Working with Museums, Libraries, and Archives to Use IPM to Prevent and Combat Infestations (Toolbox series), presenter Rachael Perkins Arenstein, 10/26/2023, 88 registrants, 46 participants, 42 viewed recording as of 5/31/2024. The Biology and Management of Common Invasive Plants in the Northeastern U.S. and Southern Canada (Toolbox series), presenter Antonio Di Tommaso, 2/27/2024, 515 registrants, 285 participants, 175 viewed recording as of 5/31/2024. The Use of IPM in Beekeeping to Control Parasitic Varroa Mites (Toolbox series), Robyn Underwood, 3/11/2024, 311 registrants, 122 participants, 354 viewed recording as of 5/31/2024. Kosher, Halal and Insects: How do they relate? (DEIJ series), presenter Joe Regenstein, 3/25/2024, 155 registrants, 87 participants, 53 viewed recording as of 5/31/2024. Reducing Synthetic Chemical Use to Optimize Pest Management and Crop Production: A Case Study of Onion Thrips in Onion, presenter Brian Nault, 4/11/2024, 46 registrants, 23 participants, 39 viewed recording as of 5/31/2024. Total registrants 1,556; total participants 795; total viewed recordings 859. Potential impacts of the IPM Toolbox Webinars are captured using Zoom polling data. For 2023, we saw particularly encouraging responses to the post-webinar poll question, "As a result of this webinar, how likely are you to increase your implementation of IPM?," with a substantial majority of respondents indicating they were "extremely likely" (18%) or "very likely" (45%) to do so. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective C(a) Establish Broad-based Advisory Committees We will continue to recruit broadly for the AC, to maintain membership and expand reach into NE audiences that need IPM. Objective C(b) Involve Other Stakeholders We will work with NEERA-2104 and our AC to gather input on program needs and priorities. Continued participation in the NE SARE AC and National IPM and Federal IPM Coordinating Committees will contribute to identifying program needs and priorities. We will work with PDs for current and new ARDP projects awarded funding in the Northeast, continue to offer assistance for all of the EIP projects in our region, and encourage review of regional priorities. Objective C(c) Identify program needs and establish priorities We will work with NEERA-2104 and our AC to update program needs and establish priorities. We are attentive to the types of proposals we receive each year, seeing those as an indication of regional needs and priorities. Objective C(d) Implement the Strategic Plan We will review the Strategic Plan with the AC and seek input from other stakeholders through NEERA-2104 and other partners. INTERACTIVE INFORMATION NETWORKS (CPPM Program Priority Area 4) Objective D(a) Engage with NEERA-2104 We will support and participate in the NEERA-2104 2025 meeting, including developing an agenda with leadership and hosting and recording the meeting. Objective D(b) Coordinate with regional multistate activities NEERA-2104, state IPM programs, and Partnership Grants are the main venues for regional activities. We will continue to use those networks and further engage with such as the North American Invasive Species Management Association, National Plant Detection Network, NE Vector-borne Disease Center and the NE Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change Management Network. Objective D(c) Connect with regional PDs of the ARDP and EIP Online Research Update Conference for ARDP, EIP, & NEIPMC-funded projects will be held Fall 2024. Objective D (d) Communicate successes to key stakeholders ·We will continue to grow our effort to collect research, communication, and collaboration and networking results from around the NE to disseminate those results more widely. ·We will maintain and improve our communications efforts including social media, websites, weekly IPM News and Events Roundup, Toolbox Webinars, newsletter Insights, and email communications. SIGNATURE PROGRAMS (CPPM Program Priority Areas 1 and 6) Objective E Organize current and new projects and activities into a Signature Program ·We will continue to promote the Signature Programs in the Partnership Grants RFA. ·We are planning region-wide discussions on Signature Program topics. EVALUATE IMPACTS OF IPM IMPLEMENTATION (CPPM Program Priority Area 7) Objective F (a) Evaluate impacts ·We will revise evaluation training piloted in Spring 2023 and offer it region-wide. ·We are developing a standardized report for NEERA-2104 aimed at easing reporting requirements for all IPM efforts and will contribute to evaluation. ·We will continue seeking ways to measure impacts of the NEIPMC and Partnership Grants projects. ·We will use the Common Measures for reporting. Objective F (b) Generate new information We will continue to mine the reports of completed projects for new tools and approaches to implementing IPM along with highlighting reviews conducted by working groups. We will continue to add new projects to our database and monitor their progress. Objective 6 (c) Communicate successes to key stakeholders ·We will continue producing impact statements on the collective efforts of the NEIPMC and partners. We will maintain and improve our communications efforts including social media, websites, newsletter Insights, weekly IPM News and Roundup, and email communications. ·We will continue offering webinars such as the IPM Toolbox series. Grantham will continue to participate as co-chair of 11th International IPM Symposium. We are developing ideas for presentations from the NEIPM for the 11th International IPM Symposium. G.EFFECTIVELY MANAGE CENTER RESOURCES Objective G (a) Administer the IPM Partnership Grants Program We will continue to manage the IPM Partnership Grants Program for the greatest impact. Objective G (b) Manage projects to yield impacts We will continue to provide presentations on submission and evaluation prior to proposal submission deadlines and a "Welcome Webinar" for new Partnership Grants PDs providing information on project management, evaluation, and reporting. Objective G (c) Support projects reflecting regional priorities and manage the review fairly We will continue to review and refine the application process and support applicants. Reviewers will continue to be well-informed on the content of the RFA, NE priorities, and eligibility of applicants. Objective G (d) Publicize the availability of grants The Partnership Grant RFA and Crop Profiles and Pest Management Strategy Plans RFA will publicized through social media outlets, email, our AC, NEERA-2104, Regional IPM Centers, NE SARE, weekly round-up of IPM news, and our websites. Objective G (e) Ensure accountability and communication with PDs We will continue to provide evaluation and web consultation to our PDs, and access to the NEIPMC director and staff as PDs prepare proposals and conduct funded projects. We will continue to seek reports in a timely manner from PDs. Close on-going communication is important to this effort, and we will continue to be responsive and to reach out. ASSESS CENTER PROGRESS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS In addition to a mid-cycle, NIFA-led review of Regional IPM Centers to assess impact, we will determine accomplishments on our own, report to USDA-NIFA via REEport, and prepare a summary of impacts for the Advisory Council. We will use the following milestone table, which aligns with Objectives C-G described above, as the basis of our self-assessment. Center staff has reviewed the milestone table and logic model included in the Center funding proposal. We also will review these with the AC in 2024.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? IMPACTS: As of funding cycle 2018 - 2022 plus 2023 completed projects, PDs used $1,404,079 in Center funding to leverage $16.7 million in additional funding, 1:15 rate of return. We began asking a post- IPM Toolbox Webinars question: "As a result of this webinar, how likely are you to increase your implementation of IPM?." Substantial majority of respondents indicating they were "extremely likely" (18%) or "very likely" (45%) to do so. 46 people attended one webinar and 189 attended the other, N=235. Objective C: Advisory/Steering Committees New AC members are Amber Vinchesi-Vahl, UNH, NEERA-2104 past chair, and Rakesh Chandran, WVU, in-coming chair. Oct 2023 and Apr 2024 meetings included updates on funding, Partnership Grants and PMSPs, discussion on regional IPM issues, and initial discussion of Strategic Plan, will review at the next meeting. AC members reviewed Outstanding Achievements in IPM Award nominations. Other Objective C: Director is on NE SARE Administrative Council and reviews proposals. NEIPM staff reviewed for USDA NIFA funding competition. Center participates in National & Federal IPM Coordinating Committees. NEIPM staff attended Oct 2023 NIPMCC meeting in-person and remotely. Four 2024 Partnership Grants funded (see Signature Programs). 2023 Augmentative Biological Control Working Group continues to meet. At least 1 member (private sector) is participating in planning the 11th International IPM Symposium. Visited UNH, UVM, UMass, UMaine IPM programs via a joint high-tunnel workshop. Met twice with NYS IPM. Director serves on NRCS NYS State Technical Committee. RIPMs have established regular meetings with USDA OMPM. USDA participates in our AC. AC has EPA Region 1 representative. We are seeking EPA 2 representative. Continue to participate in Technical Sciences Network led by KSU. Promoted RFA to NE tribal & BIPOC contacts. Promoted RIPM DEIJ to several tribal & BIPOC contacts. Collaboration with1890/HBCU receives additional points in our RFA review. USDA NIFA participates in All Centers meetings. StopPests in Affordable Housing program has been supported by HUD since 2007. Contract ended Nov 2023. StopPests coordinator/manager currently is funded by NYS IPM to develop StopPests for NYS. As co-chair of 11th International IPM Symposium, Grantham works with USDA NIFA to ensure effective presence at the Symposium and with land grants, RIPMs, IPM Institute, other non-profit organizations, USDA-NIFA, US EPA, state agencies, and private sector to plan the Symposium. Collaborate with working groups/projects such as USDA-NIFA SCRI projects Biology, Management, and Reducing the Impact of the Spotted Lanternfly in Specialty Crops in the Eastern USA and Addressing evolving corn earworm management challenges in sweet corn grown in the Eastern US. INTERACTIVE INFORMATION NETWORKS NEIPM worked with NEERA-2104 to organize 2024 meeting. NEIPM director wrote letters of support for some EIP proposals and reviewed compilation of NE collaborations. NEIPM continues to host listserv and NEERA web presence. Provide Web support for working groups and funded projects, host Zoom meetings for planning/information sharing, publish articles in Insights newsletter, and provide evaluation expertise/implementation. IPM Weekly Roundup is venue for regional & national announcements/news. Participated in 2 USDA SCRI proposals submitted during reporting period (not funded). Addressing evolving corn earworm management challenges in sweet corn grown in the Eastern US, submitted during the previous reporting period, was funded and began in 2023. Outstanding Achievements in IPM awardees provided newsletter articles/presentations. Awardees were Dion Lerman, Penn State; Brian Nault, Cornell; and Victoria Wallace, UConn. IR-4 has representative on AC.NEERA Administrative Contact is an AES director and serves on NEIPM AC. NE Cooperative Extension Directors have representative on NEIPM AC. NE AES & Cooperative Extension Directors received a 2022 & 2023 annual report, both produced in this reporting period. AES & Cooperative Extension Directors received revised impact statement on NEIPM activities. Online Research Update Conference on ARDP, EIP, and NEIPMC-funded projects was held Fall 2023. DEVELOP SIGNATURE PROGRAMS: 2024 Partnership Grants by signature program: IPM & Organic Systems: An Ecosystem Services Framework to Improve Economic and Environmental Outcomes of Cattle Pest Fly IPM (Bryony Sands, UVM); Community IPM/ Pesticide Resistance: Distribution and Frequency of Anticoagulant Rodenticide Resistance Among Commensal Rodents in the Northeastern U.S. (Changlu Wang, Rutgers); Pollinators: Protecting Endangered Species and Pollinators: Communicating Recent Changes in Pesticide Regulation (Niranjana Krishnan, UMD); Next Gen Ed: Continued Next-Generation Support for the Northeast Tree Fruit IPM Working Group (Terence Bradshaw, UVM). Cross-cutting Theme Diversity in IPM: Held 2 DEIJ webinars during the reporting period: Kosher, Halal, and Insects: How Do They Relate? and Promoting LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in the IPM Field: Perspectives from IPM Professionals. Webinars reached 130 live attendees and recordings have been viewed 85 times. REVIEW AND EVALUATE IMPACTS: David Lane, NEIPM evaluator, and Tegan Walker, SIPM evaluator, are developing common reporting for NIMSS, EIP, & institutional reports to improve efficiency of reporting and enable standardized collection and reporting of comparable impacts nationwide. Draft report formats & content were presented to NEERA, SERA, & NCERA. ·NEIPM impact statement was updated, 5 new impact statements produced, and 1 revised. ·Engaged PDs and others in IPM Toolbox webinars, writing articles for Insights, and submitting items for the weekly IPM News and Roundup. ·NortheastIPM.org website was visited by 44,649 users between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024. 34 IPM specialists from 11 states have created profiles on our Find a Colleague web feature (https://neipmc.org/go/colleagues). NEIPM website posts publications from its funded projects. Publications pages have been accessed 10,606 times, downloaded 288 times during reporting period. Communications list includes 3,374 recipients of IPM Weekly News & Events Roundup and other announcements. NEIPM has 1,845 followers on X (Twitter) and 927 followers on Facebook. Roundup and X feed archived at https://neipmc.org/go/HbdR. 2 electronic issues of the NEIPM newsletter, Insights, were produced in the reporting period. Aug 2023 had 27 downloads and 687 views. Dec 2023 had 23 and 634. Older issues of Insights were downloaded 28 times in the reporting period. EFFECTIVELY MANAGE CENTER RESOURCES Continue to work with RIPMs to improve grants management system, used for 2 RFA/review cycles. Continue to include the PMSP and Crop Profile RFAs in the main grants cycle. Held webinar on submitting proposals and included information on evaluation. It was recorded for later viewing. NEIPM evaluator works with PDs to develop evaluation procedures. Reviewers were trained in the use of the GMS before they began work. Tracked interim/final reports & invoices. Have had very few issues with completion, at nearly 100% over all projects. "Welcome Webinar" for new PDs providing information on project management, evaluation, and reporting was held after award accounts were established. ·Geographic distribution of awards is very even, especially over time. ·Topics are diverse and reflect regional priorities, including structural pests, agriculture, pollinators, & natural areas. ·Partnership Grants, Crop Profiles, and Pest Management Strategy Plans RFAs were publicized through social media, email, AC, NEERA, RIPMs, NE SARE, IPM News and Events Roundup, NE BIPOC contacts and tribal environmental agencies and representatives, and our websites. ·We are responsive to PD questions and concerns.

Publications


    Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Our Center reaches out to and seeks to engage scientists, educators, growers, IPM consultants and businesses, governmental employees, policy analysts, future integrated pest management (IPM) practitioners, health officials and practitioners, youth, and urban and rural consumers, and addresses agriculture, natural areas, buildings and residences, and affordable housing. Our Advisory Council (AC) represents this broad range of audiences, including 1890 institutions (1), EPA (2), Emerging priority - Spotted Lanternfly (1), Extension (3), Federal Government (OPMP, HUD, NRCS, APHIS, ARS) (1), Food Industry Stewardship (0), Grower organization (0), Independent Pest Management Consultant (1), IPM Working Group Leader (1), IR-4 Project (1), Marketing (0), NEERA1604 (Past chair, chair and chair-elect) (3), Non-governmental Environmental Organization (1), Non-land-grant University (1), Northeast Extension Service Directors (0), Northeast Plant Diagnostic Network (0), Northeast Research Station Directors (1), Production agriculture (0), Research (3), State lead agency (e.g., Dept. of Agriculture) (0), Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (0), and USDA-NIFA IPM representative (2). Director Deborah Grantham is currently working on adding new Advisory Council members that bring further expertise and perspectives to the work of the Center. We have conducted outreach to the Indian Nations and Tribes in the Northeast, through their US EPA Liaisons. The Center supports a HUD-funded project "Promoting IPM in Affordable Housing" providing free IPM consultation and training to HUD-assisted housing providers. The program aims to improve the health and safety of residents and staff in underserved and diverse communities including Native American housing departments and public housing whose residents are 43% African American and 26% Hispanic/Latino. In 2021, the Center launched a DEIJ in IPM webinar series, featuring DEIJ students and professionals working in IPM who have been discussing the challenges they face and how they have or are working through those challenges. Some of those webinars have occurred in between September 2022 and May 2023. Changes/Problems:Program Aide Nancy Cusumano retired as of May 2022. The Center conducted a search and hired Jerrie Haines as of June 2022. This is being reported because Cusumano was named in the proposal that resulted in this award. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Fall 2022 we launched a webinar series to highlight and foster diversity in IPM. Presenters from historically marginalized groups discussed topics related to their research or shared their perspectives on overcoming barriers and succeeding in their chosen profession. We held seven (7) DEIJ webinars during the reporting period including one co-sponsored by the USDA Office of Pest Management Policy. The topics included: Expanding the Integrated Weed Management Toolbox: Evaluating IWM Approaches for Maryland and Mid-Atlantic Vegetable Production Systems; As I Heal, So Does the Land: A Story About Blackness, Conservation, and Healing in America; Utilization of Biologicals and Biofumigation for Effective Management of Soilborne Diseases in Fruits and Vegetables; Cooperative Extension in Indigenous Communities: Experiences of Educators; Non-traditional Areas for IPM Careers and the Associated Challenges for 2SLGBTQIA+ Individuals in Pursuing Them; Language Justice: A Webinar on the Intersection of Language, Justice, and Agriculture Offering Practical Strategies for Cross-language Communication; Inclusive and Equitable Evidence-Based Approaches: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go from Here? These seven webinars reached a total of 379 live attendees, and the recordings have been viewed 214 times. Our online Research Update Conference on ARDP, EIP, and NEIPMC-funded projects was last held in Spring 2022. The next one will be held in Fall 2023. David Lane, Center evaluator, piloted a course with the state IPM program at the University of Massachusetts on evaluation methods for IPM Extension educators. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? NortheastIPM.org has been visited by 30,604 users between Sept 1, 2022, and May 10, 2023. It includes information about our grant program, pest information, archived webinars, news announcements, and newsletter articles. Our email list includes 2,855 recipients that receive our IPM Weekly News and Events Roundup. The NEIPM Center has 1,863 followers on Twitter and 869 followers on Facebook. We held (7) DEIJ webinars during the reporting period including one co-sponsored by the USDA Office of Pest Management Policy. They were viewed by a total of 379 live attendees, and the recordings have been viewed 214 times. To date, 31 IPM specialists from 11 states have posted a profile at the Find a Colleague feature (https://neipmc.org/go/colleagues ). Three electronic issues of the NEIPMC's newsletter, Insights, were produced in the reporting period. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?C.PROCESS FOR MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE CENTER (CPPM Program Priority Areas 2, 3, and 5) Objective C(a) Establish Broad-based Advisory Committees We will continue to recruit broadly for the AC, to maintain membership and expand reach into NE audiences that need IPM. Objective C(b) Involve Other Stakeholders We will work with NEERA-2104 and our AC to provide input on program needs and priorities. Continued participation in the NE SARE AC and National IPM and Federal IPM Coordinating Committees will contribute to identifying program needs and priorities. We will work with PDs for current and new ARDP projects awarded funding in the Northeast, continue to offer assistance for all of the EIP projects in our region, and encourage review of regional priorities. Objective C(c) Identify program needs and establish priorities We will work with NEERA-2104 and our AC to update program needs and establish priorities. We are attentive to the types of proposals we receive each year, seeing those as an indication of regional needs and priorities. Objective C(d) Implement the Strategic Plan We will review the Strategic Plan with the AC and seek input from other stakeholders through NEERA-2104 and other partners. INTERACTIVE INFORMATION NETWORKS (CPPM Program Priority Area 4) Objective D(a) Engage with NEERA-2104 We will support and participate in the NEERA-2104 April 2024 meeting, including developing an agenda with leadership and hosting and recording the meeting. Objective D(b) Coordinate with regional multistate activities NEERA-2104, state IPM programs, and Partnership Grants are the main venues for regional activities. We will continue to use those networks and further engage with such as the NE Vector-borne Disease Center and the NE Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change Management Network. Objective D(c) Connect with regional PDs of the ARDP and EIP Online Research Update Conference for ARDP, EIP, & NEIPMC-funded projects will be held Fall 2023. Objective D (d) Communicate successes to key stakeholders ·We are developing a method to collect research, communication, and collaboration and networking results from around the NE to disseminate those results more widely. ·We will maintain and improve our communications efforts including social media, websites, weekly IPM News and Events Roundup, Toolbox Webinars, newsletter Insights and email communications. SIGNATURE PROGRAMS (CPPM Program Priority Areas 1 and 6) Objective E Organize current and new projects and activities into a Signature Program ·We will continue to promote the Signature Programs in the Partnership Grants RFA. ·We are planning region-wide discussions on Signature Program topics to begin in August 2023. EVALUATE IMPACTS OF IPM IMPLEMENTATION (CPPM Program Priority Area 7) Objective F (a) Evaluate impacts ·We will revise evaluation training piloted in Spring 2023 and offer it region-wide. ·We are developing a standardized report for NEERA-2104 that will contribute to evaluation. ·We will continue seeking ways to measure impacts of the NEIPMC and Partnership Grants projects. ·We will use the Common Measures for reporting. Objective F (b) Generate new information We will continue to mine the reports of completed projects for new tools and approaches to implementing IPM along with highlighting reviews conducted by working groups. We will continue to add new projects to our database and monitor their progress. Objective 6 (c) Communicate successes to key stakeholders ·We will continue producing impact statements on the collective efforts of the NEIPMC and partners. We will maintain and improve our communications efforts including social media, websites, newsletter Insights, weekly IPM News and Roundup, and email communications. ·We will continue offering webinars such as the IPM Toolbox series. G. EFFECTIVELY MANAGE CENTER RESOURCES Objective G (a) Administer the IPM Partnership Grants Program We will continue to manage the IPM Partnership Grants Program for the greatest impact. Objective G (b) Manage projects to yield impacts We will continue to provide presentations on submission and evaluation prior to proposal submission deadlines and a "Welcome Webinar" for new Partnership Grants PDs providing information on project management, evaluation, and reporting. Objective G (c) Support projects reflecting regional priorities and manage the review fairly We will continue to review and refine the application process and support applicants. Reviewers will continue to be well-informed on the content of the RFA, NE priorities, and eligibility of applicants. Objective G (d) Publicize the availability of grants The Partnership Grant RFA and Crop Profiles and Pest Management Strategy Plans RFA will be publicized through social media outlets, email, our AC, NEERA-2104, Regional IPM Centers, NE SARE, weekly round-up of IPM news, and our websites. Objective G (e) Ensure accountability and communication with PDs We will continue to provide evaluation and web consultation to our PDs, and access to the NEIPMC director and staff as PDs prepare proposals and conduct funded projects. We will continue to seek reports in a timely manner from PDs. Close on-going communication is important to this effort, and we will continue to be responsive and to reach out. ASSESS CENTER PROGRESS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS In addition to a mid-cycle, NIFA-led review of Regional IPM Centers to assess impact, we will determine accomplishments on our own, report to USDA-NIFA via REEport, and prepare a summary of impacts for the Advisory Council. We will use the following milestone table, which aligns with Objectives C-G described above, as the basis of our self-assessment. Center staff has reviewed the milestone table and logic model included in the Center funding proposal. We also will review these with the AC in 2023.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? IMPACTS: In 2018-2022, Partnership Grant recipients used $560,490 in Center funding to leverage an additional $12.7 million, a 1:23 return-on-investment ratio that highlights value of our Partnership Grants program. Respect for Center contributions is demonstrated by invitations to collaborate on 2 USDA SCRI proposals (submitted in 2023) and to participate in several panels on how best to reach stakeholders, improve outreach, and address barriers to IPM adoption at 2023 workshop on spotted lanternfly hosted by NYS IPM Program. Results of national survey led by evaluation specialist David Lane on IPM adoption & value of RIPM Centers were published in the Journal of IPM, January 2023. Almost all the participants agree that RIPM centers increase overall IPM adoption and regional IPM communication, cooperation, and collaboration. Objective C Advisory & Steering Committees NEIPM Center Advisory Council (AC) 12/8/22 meeting included updates on funding, Partnership Grants, and Tactical Sciences Network project led by Kansas State U. USDA NIFA, HUD, and EPA National Program Leaders were offered time for updates. AC members reviewed nominations for Outstanding Achievement in IPM Award and others reviewed an out of cycle Partnership Grant. Steering Committee of the AC approved 2 nominations to the AC. New AC member in 2022 -- 2023 is Lisa Tewksbury, U. of Rhode Island, new chair of NEERA-2104. Alicyn Smart, director of regional NPDN lab, U. of Maine, has been approved by Steering Committee. Other Objective C Center works closely with RIPM Centers including sharing grants management system, conducting evaluation, and meeting monthly to share issues, expertise, networking We participate in National and Federal IPM Coordinating Committees We participate in the Technical Sciences Network led by Kansas State University 2023 Working Group: Establishing an Augmentative Biological Control Working Group for the NE Region, Hillary Peterson, Maine Dept of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Caleb Goossen, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, Buglady Consulting Two 2023 Partnership Grant proposals from West Virginia University were funded Visited state IPM programs in Maine, NJ, and NYS in 2023 Director serves on NRCS NYS State Technical Committee National program on IPM in Affordable Housing is funded by HUD and HUD is represented on our AC. RIPM Centers have established regular meetings with USDA OMPM; USDA serves on our AC Representatives from EPA Regions 1 and 2 are on our AC Participated in planning and attended a March 2023 annual NEERA-2104 meeting. Three state IPM coordinators serve on the NEIPM Center Advisory Council Center director Grantham visited Maine state IPM program. Grantham and Program/Extension Aide Jerrie Haines visited the Rutgers U./New Jersey state IPM program in 2023. Grantham, Haines, and StopPests coordinator Susannah Krysko have attended several NYS IPM Program events and meetings, including as presenters Collaboration with 1890/HBCUs continues to receive additional points in our RFA system We sent notices of our RFA in October 2022 to several tribal and BPOC agricultural contacts Center director serves on NE SARE AC We fund crop profiles and Pest Management Strategic Plans used by OPMP and EPA when re-registering materials New Signature Programs were incorporated into the 2022/2023 Partnership Grants RFA. Participated in NE priority discussions with NEERA-2104 Objective D: Interactive Networks Worked with (Temp) NEERA-2104 to finalize NEERA renewal Worked with NEERA-2104 leadership on March 2023 meeting We have collaborations with working groups and funded projects such as the USDA-NIFA SCRI project Biology, Management, and Reducing the Impact of the Spotted Lanternfly in Specialty Crops in the Eastern USA We provide Web support, host Zoom meetings for planning and information sharing purposes, publish articles in our Insights newsletter, and provide evaluation expertise and implementation Director serves on NE SARE AC Interregional Research Project No. 4 has a seat on AC NEERA Administrative contact is an AES director and serves on the AC NE Cooperative Extension Directors have a seat on the AC The AES and Cooperative Extension Directors received a Center annual report in 2023 Our online Research Update Conference on ARDP, EIP, and NEIPMC-funded projects was last held in Spring 2022. Next one will be held Fall 2023. E. Develop Signature Programs 2023 Partnership Grants projects by signature program: IPM and Organic Systems: Optimization of Biologicals and ASD Combination Treatment for Managing Soilborne Diseases to Promote Adoption, Mahfuz Rahman, Ayesha Sarker, West Virginia U.; Evaluation of Insect Exclusion Screens on Pests and Biocontrol Agents in Commercial High Tunnels, Carlos Quesada, Thomas Basden, Doolarie Singh-Knights, Lewis Jett, West Virginia U.; Establishing an Augmentative Biological Control Working Group for the NE Region, Hillary Peterson, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Caleb Goossen, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, Buglady Consulting. Next Gen Ed: Weed Management Decision Making for Wild Blueberry Growers in Maine, Lily Calderwood, U. of Maine/ #BeReadyForTicks: A Digital Media Tick-bite Prevention Education Campaign With Just-in-Time Learning Tools, Tom Mather, U. of Rhode Island. Next Generation: 2022 Outstanding Achievements in IPM awarded to recent Dr. Diana Obregon Corredor, now post-doc at NYS IPM. Professional awards went to Lori King, IPM manager, Claussen's Florist, Greenhouse & Perennial Farm, and Robyn Underwood, extension educator in apiculture, Penn State Extension. Cross-cutting Issue Diversity in IPM: In a series of 7 webinars, presenters from historically marginalized groups shared their perspectives on overcoming barriers and succeeding in their IPM-related profession. One was co-sponsored by the USDA Office of Pest Management Policy. Viewed by a total of 379 live attendees, recordings have been viewed 214 times. F. REVIEW AND EVALUATE IMPACTS Published results of a national survey on IPM adoption and impacts including strategies for increasing IPM adoption: David E Lane, Tegan J Walker, and Deborah G Grantham, IPM Adoption and Impacts in the United States, Journal of Integrated Pest Management, Volume 14, Issue 1, 2023, 1, https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmac028, 03 January 2023. ·Center evaluator Lane piloted evaluation methods course with U. of Massachusetts state IPM program. ·Engaged PDs of our RFAs and others in IPM Toolbox webinars, writing articles for Insights, and submitting items for the weekly IPM News & Roundup ·NortheastIPM.org was visited by 30,604 users between Sept 1, 2022 & May 10, 2023. Email list of 2,855 receive IPM Weekly News & Events Roundup. Center has 1,863 followers on Twitter and 869 followers on Facebook 31 IPM specialists from 11 states have Find a Colleague profile (https://neipmc.org/go/colleagues ) Produced 3 electronic issues of NEIPMC's newsletter, Insights 2 PMSPs were completed & submitted to the National IPM Database: https://ipmdata.ipmcenters.org/source_report.cfm?view=yes https://ipmdata.ipmcenters.org/source_report.cfm?view=yes D.Manage Center Resources Worked with RIPM Centers to transition to new grants management system, successfully used it for 2022 RFA & review cycle Webinar on submitting proposals including on project evaluation was held & recorded for later viewing Reviewers were trained in use of system ·Geographic distribution of awards is very even, especially over time ·Variety of topics is diverse and reflects regional priorities, including structures, agriculture, pollinators, & natural areas ·RFAs publicized through social media outlets, email, AC, NEERA-2104, RIPM Centers, NE SARE, weekly IPM News & Events Roundup, and our websites

    Publications

    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: David E. Lane, Tegan J. Walker, and Deborah G. Grantham. IPM Adoption in the United States. Journal of Integrated Pest Management, Volume 14, Issue 1, 2023, 1, https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmac028